


Everyone was Happy

by LollingCat



Series: Inky Mystery Fics [5]
Category: Bendy and the Ink Machine, Cuphead (Video Game), the inky mystery
Genre: Everyone is happy :), Multi, sadness does not exist here
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-27
Updated: 2020-01-24
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:41:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21982363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LollingCat/pseuds/LollingCat
Summary: In this AU of Bendy and Boris in the Inky Mystery, everyone is happy and living their best lives! Known as the Fluff AU! The only AU of Inky Mystery where everyone, without fail, is cheery and joyful! After all, there is absolutely nothing to stress about here in Silly Town- the only town that matters.
Relationships: Alice Angel/Bendy (Bendy and the Ink Machine), Alice Angel/Jake (OC)
Series: Inky Mystery Fics [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1850077
Comments: 26
Kudos: 41





	1. Stay Happy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ThisAnimatedPhantom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisAnimatedPhantom/gifts), [Mercowe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mercowe/gifts), [Fantastic_kingdoms_87](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fantastic_kingdoms_87/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Bendy and Boris in The Inky Mystery](https://archiveofourown.org/works/10726146) by [Mercowe](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mercowe/pseuds/Mercowe), [ThisAnimatedPhantom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThisAnimatedPhantom/pseuds/ThisAnimatedPhantom). 



Everyone is happy.

That was a matter of fact.

Boris had never seen anyone not happy. He lived a wonderful life with his older brother, Bendy. They lived in Silly Town in a nice lodge on the outskirts of town. Everyone he knew and loved was in Silly Town. Alice, Felix, Granny, Oddswell, Cuphead, Mugman, Finley, Sammy, Xedo, Wiston, Holly, Cala… the list goes on. Each one of them had their own house. Each of them had their preferred workplace- if they wanted to work, of course. If not, well… money never seemed to be an issue for them. For anybody.

Nothing was ever an issue for them.

They had everything they could ever need or want.

But Boris always wondered what it was like to be unhappy. Was that even a thing that was possible? He didn't think so. What would one have to be unhappy about?

Maybe if someone did nothing for an entire day they could be unhappy?

That was the only thing he could think of.

Well, regardless, Boris was happy. Today he was going to go shopping for his brother's eighteenth birthday. He was going to get him so many wonderful presents! His brother would love them all!

New, shiny goggles, one of Felix's special edition books, a lot of bacon soup, a book of puns (he loved his brother's puns!), and so much more!

As he trotted along the isles of Betty's Everything Store with a basket, grabbing what he liked and what he knew Bendy would like, he ran into Felix and Oswald. He beamed happily at them, and they beamed back.

Wide smiles of white teeth that highlighted the black streaks running down their cheeks from their eyes. Felix had two streams, which Boris had always found cool- he only had one- while Oswald had waving lines for his markings.

"Hello, Boris," Felix said. "How are you?"

"I am happy," responded Boris pleasantly, tail wagging. "Bendy will be so happy to get all these presents! Are you shopping for him too?"

"Of course, why would I not?" Felix grinned. "I wrote another book just for him! He will love it!"

"I am certain he will!" Boris agreed with a nod. "Do you know where the goggles are? Betty seems to move them every week!"

"It's always fun to see where she puts the items next!" Felix smiled bigger, fangs gleaming and tail curling amusedly.

"It is," Boris agreed again.

Felix gestured to Oswald who stood complacently behind him with a strict smile. "Ozzy can show you to them. I have to go pick up some beets and leeks for Sheba while she edits my newest book."

"Okay, thank you," Boris said.

"Thank you for this conversation! It brightened up my already bright day!" Felix tilted his head with a huge smile and big, happy eyes. "Stay happy!"

"Stay happy!" Boris called as the cat walked away. He turned to Oswald with an everlasting smile on his face. "Lead the way, friend."

"Of course," the rabbit responded with an obedient nod. He turned and walked to the back of the store. Boris hopped after him, giggling to himself.

"How has your day been so far?" Boris asked him merrily.

"Fine," Oswald responded, voice clipped.

"Fine?" Boris asked, confused, but his smile didn't drop a centimeter. "What do you mean?"

"Happy," Oswald corrected. "My apologies. My day has gotten better with your presence, Boris. Thank you."

Boris grinned joyfully. That was his favorite sentence. He loved when toons loved his presence. It made him happy.

He loved being happy.

Who didn't?

He hummed cheerily as he picked Bendy out some new goggles that were like his current ones but shinier, which Boris knew Bendy would love. Of course he would! He loved anything he got from Boris. It always made him happy to receive gifts from his little brother.

He turned to Oswald to ask for his opinion on the goggles, but was surprised to see a- a- was  _ that  _ what they called a  _ frown? _

Why were his lips turned down like that? Why were his ears drooping? Why did he look- what was the word- exhausted?

"Oswald?" Boris questioned, and he struggled to find the words he was looking for. How was your day didn't fit. He had already asked that. How are you? No. He didn't have a clue what to say.

Oswald snapped to attention like Boris had shot him, ears straightening and that familiar smile plastering itself on his face. "I'm happy!" 

Boris felt relief shoot through him. He felt  _ weird _ , stumbling with puzzlement over what to say. People were normally happy just being around him, just talking to him. Why had Oswald not been? But it seemed Boris had mis-seen. Oswald was happy, of course.

He had no reason not to be.

Boris's relieved smile went up to his eyes. He held the goggles out for the bunny to see them. "What is your opinion on these goggles?"

Oswald eyed them for a moment before smiling up at the wolf pup. "Bendy will be happy to receive them."

Boris bobbed his head eagerly with a dopey smile, tongue lolling out. "I know he will!" He placed the goggles in his basket with the other items. Bendy would have the happiest birthday! He turned to Oswald. "Would you like to check out with me?"

"Yes, I would." He nodded. Boris noted he had no items.

The two made their way to the check-out, smiling politely at Betty who smiled back ten-fold.

"Hello, Boris, Oswald!" She greeted. "How has your day been so far? Did you locate everything you needed?"

"Our days have been great, Betty. We found everything with ease." Boris smirked. "You simply  _ must  _ hide the items better next time."

"Oh, I ensure you, I will do that." Betty grinned back to him. She looked at his basket. "You do not need to pay. It is Bendy's birthday."

"Thank you!" Boris never had to pay. "That makes me happy to hear." He had never touched a dollar in his life. And why would he? His friends would always make sure he was fed. He couldn't imagine a world where he didn't have food around every corner. It was impossible.

"Have a happy day!" Betty said as she waved them off.

"Stay happy!" Boris and Oswald called in unison to her.

As they turned to leave, they bumped into Felix, who grinned big at them, eyes sparkling as he stared at Oswald.

"Greetings!" Felix chirped, and Boris echoed him. "I need to check out. Have you already done so?"

"We have," Boris affirmed. The cat nodded.

"Can you stay and wait for me? We could go to your house and give Bendy his presents together," Felix suggested.

"That sounds like a good idea," Boris agreed easily.

"I need to go home to my children," Oswald stated.

Boris was going to say 'okay', but Felix spoke before him.

"But you could visit them later. Bendy would be so happy to see you! It would make  _ me _ happy if you came," Felix insisted. For some reason, it made Boris's insides squirm. But he didn't like that feeling, so he forced it to stop so he could continue being happy.

Oswald froze for a second, eyes staring blankly at Felix, before his smile grew. "Of course, Felix. If it makes you happy."

"Thank you!" Felix practically squealed. He hugged Oswald, who stayed still like a statue, smile carved into his face.

Boris didn't like it. He'd seen people with that type of smile before. They always made him uneasy.

He wished Oswald would stop it so Boris could he super-happy again instead of slightly unsettled but still happy.

Boris followed Felix as he walked over to Betty, chattering animatedly. His shoulders relaxed at the two's cheerful chatter. This-  _ this _ happy laughter between joyful comments is what Boris loved. It was normal. It was happy.

Not Oswald and his weird faces. He should go to a doctor.

Boris barked a laugh at one of the jokes Felix told Betty. Felix was the happiest toon Boris knew. Just being around him made anyone and everyone happy.

He wagged his tail as Felix pat his head as he turned to finally leave the store with his unpaid-for-stuff. He skipped merrily as they left the store, automatic doors clicking shut behind them. The two talked happily with one another as they walked down the streets of Silly Town to Bendy and Boris's home.

It was only when they were at the front door when Boris realized Oswald wasn't with them.

Oh well.


	2. Be Happy

**Be Happy**

Boris hugged his older brother tightly, squealing with happiness. Bendy chuckled and hugged him back with just as much vigor, his spiked tail waving back and forth contentedly.

"I have brought you many presents!" Boris told him, handing him the basket eagerly.

Bendy grinned up at him, the corners of his mouth crinkling his dripping ink-like markings under his eyes. "Thank you!"

Felix patted the top of Bendy’s head, in-between his two horns. “I have as well!”

“Your happiness is a present enough for me,” Bendy stated to his parental figure.

“Your happiness is the best gift to me too,” Felix replied, pulling Bendy into a cuddly hug, nuzzling the top of his head with a purr that the young demon returned. “And it isn’t even my birthday!”

Boris’s tail wagged merrily at the two’s adorable purring. Sometimes he wished he could purr too, and wondered why he couldn’t. But Bendy said his little barks and yaps were just as cute, so he was happy how he was.

“Some of the others’ are here too!” Bendy told Boris and Felix eagerly, gesturing to the living room where they could hear distant laughter.

“Oh? Well then, let’s get happy and party!” Felix grinned like the Chesire cat, tail curling with cheery anticipation.

Bendy nodded excitedly, following Felix as he hopped down the hallway. Boris let out a little yap as he chased after his brother and the cat.

In the living room, Holly, Cala, Finley and Sammy were laughing together on the couch while Cuphead and Mugman made silly faces in front of them. Alice Angel and her boyfriend Jake were chatting with Isaac, Mickey, Granny, and Oddswell. A few more of their friends, like Steven, Elder Kettle, and Snow White, were huddled next to a food table, giggling happily to one another.

Spotting Bendy's entrance, Cuphead immediately bolted over to him, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him into a bone-crushing hug.

"Pipsqueak! Glad to see you back!" Cup grinned down at him, black star-like tear markings a stark contrast to his white porcelain face.

"I had only left for five minutes," Bendy replied with a smile.

"Five minutes too long!" Cup chided playfully, finally dropping his friend from his bear hug. "You happy?"

"When am I not!" Bendy flashed his fangs at the cupman, beaming brightly.

The two laughed together as if sharing an inside joke. An inside joke that the entire world understood.

Alice was the next to approach Bendy, Jake and Isaac tailing her. She smiled down at him.

"Hello, Bendy. What a happy birthday for you!" She told him cheerily.

"A wonderfully happy occasion," Jake added with a delighted nod. He was holding Alice's hand, bouncing on the balls of his feet with happiness.

Boris always though the two were such a cute and happy couple. Even their tear markings matched! Alice's were little teardrops or raindrops, while Jake's was a cloud. How adorable!

They were so happy together too. The perfect angel couple. A match made in heaven! Although Boris didn't really know what heaven was. The Upper, he also thought it was called? But angels- angels with _wings_ , unlike the three angels he knew personally- were supposed to live up there. He also heard tales of demons who were supposed to live in Hell. But Bendy didn't, and neither did Ava or Black Hat, so he thought that was another silly story like the ones of angels with wings who lived in the Upper. They were fun stories to listen to though! They always made him happy.

Bendy smiled up at Alice’s boyfriend, his eyes getting that… glossy look to them that made Boris unable to place what emotions he was feeling. He was sure his brother was happy though! He always was! There was never ever a reason not to be happy after all. Especially around Alice Angel, the most kindest and happiest of angels.

Isaac playfully nudged Bendy. “Why don’t we open the gifts your friends got for you? It will be delightful! Everyone will be so happy to see you so happy.”

“We already are!” Boris chirped with a wag of his tail.

Isaac dragged Bendy along to the table full of presents, everyone crowding around him as he was handed his first present. Toons of Silly Town were always so eager to see that happy look on those they got presents for. It made him so happy to see his older brother just beam like that.

Granny patted the top of Bendy’s head lovingly. “You’ve been happy for eighteen years now! Congratulations!” Rings of congratulations rang out around him, his friends smiling happily at him.

“I can’t wait ‘til I’ve been happy for eighteen years!” Steven said as he bounced over to Bendy, who was starting to open his gift. The squirrel’s bushy tail was wagging as much as Boris’s. Steven’s wobbly tear markings were at the corners of his eyes, falling down like the tears of a sobbing child. Which Boris had only ever seen in a novel titled ‘ _How to Be Happy’_ . Boris found that book redundant and useless. How did one _not_ know how to be happy? It was impossible! Physically impossible!

Under the beautiful acorn patterned wrapping paper was a framed drawing Steven had done of him, Bendy, and Boris. They all had superhero capes and written above their heads was "The Happiest Brothers".

Bendy positively beamed at the artwork, ink-stain tear markings practically disappearing under his smile. "Steven, it's so beautiful! I'm so happy!" He jumped forward to catch the squirrel kid in a hug, nearly squeezing the life out of him. "You're the best little brother ever!"

Ever since Steven had started living with Bendy and Boris- which Boris couldn't remember or figure out why Steven _had_ started living with them, although he was sure it wasn't important- he had been the best and happiest and cutest little brother for both Bendy and Boris. But Boris would admit sometimes hearing Bendy call Steven his favorite little brother… made his stomach twist. But he just ignored that of course. It was weird and threatened to make him unhappy, so what point was there in dwelling on it?

Steven melted into Bendy's hug, squeezing his brother's shoulders and closing his eyes, his smile becoming… softer, tender.

And then Steven was pulled away as Cuphead shoved his own present towards Bendy.

"Open mine next! You'll be so happy!" The cupman demanded. Bendy chuckled, patting Steven's shoulder as he moved to open Cuphead's messily wrapped present.

Boris sat back as he watched Bendy open all of his presents, nearly a hundred in total. He laughed along with everyone at the joke presents, and smiled just as bright as Bendy at every other one. Even if he got duplicate gifts, Bendy was joyous, hugging each of his friends. Aside from Boris, Felix and Steven's gifts, Bendy seemed happiest at Alice's gift- a beautiful necklace with a rose quartz carved into a flower. He clipped it around his neck immediately, and hesitated to let go of it when he opened his next present from Jake.

"It is time to eat dessert!" Granny cried out merrily, clapping her hands together. "To celebrate Bendy being happy for eighteen years!"

"Yay!" The others cheered, a few pumping their fists into the air. They swept Bendy into the kitchen, a few hanging back to grab some of the toys from Bendy's gift. Holly was murmuring something to Cala with a smile before they walked over to Sammy and Finley.

Sammy Hap. E. Cat wrapped Holly up in a hug, laughing in her ear. "Today is such a happy day!"

"It is!" Holly agreed. Her boyfriend, Finley, grabbed her hand and squeezed it with a fanged smile.

"Even better than Happy Christmas!" Finley stated. He traded a look with Holly. Her smile seemed to soften as she ran a comforting hand down his furry arm. Her cog-shaped tear markings were very different from Finley's music note tear markings, but they were just as cute a couple as Alice and Jake or Mugman and Cala.

"Let us go feast on the food of happiness!" Sammy grabbed Holly and Cala's wrists, pulling them along. Finley made a move to follow after him, but then his ears drooped unexpectedly, giving Boris déjà vu. His posture became hunched as he sighed.

"I can't anymore," he moaned. "Not since Danny."

Danny? Who… was Danny?

Boris was about to walk forward and ask the fox why he didn't seem… happy, but then he saw the black liquid dripping down from his cheeks. Boris froze, confused, stunned. Were his… tear markings… melting…?

The black substance started dripping in globs from his ears and his tail too. Boris felt his lips start twitching and pulling uncomfortably, like they were threatening to drop his everlasting smile.

Boris swore he only blinked.

And then Finley was gone. Left behind, only a thin black puddle.

And for some reason, Oswald came straight to Boris's mind. Oswald? Boris hesitated to remember who he was for a second. And then in his mind flashed other names- Rachel Ringtail, Sasha, Red, Jerry… So many. Who… Where, where had they gone?

Boris didn't understand. Why was he remembering these toons now? Why had he forgotten them? _Where were they?_

A hand touched his shoulder, making him jump in a sense of instinctual panic he hadn't felt before.

It was Isaac, with a bright smile and ring-like tear markings, as he whispered,

" _That_ is why we stay happy."

Boris stuttered out, confused, "Wh-wha- why- I- Fin-"

"Boris," Isaac cut him off, continuing in his joyful, upbeat tone. "For the sake of your life, for the sake of your brothers', for Alice’s, Jake’s, and everyone else’s, be happy.”

And then the angel lifted his hand, walked over the puddle, and went into the kitchen with everyone else, his cheery- _eerie-_ smile never leaving his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Picture of Steven Squirrel's "The four Happiest Brothers" to be added later :)


	3. Am I Happy?

**Am I Happy?**

Boris stared at the door, into the kitchen where all of his friends were laughing happily.  _ Happily. _ He was happy right? This was just some form of confusing happiness, right? This wasn’t unhappiness he was feeling,  _ right? _ That was just impossible- impossible! He just… He just didn’t understand the situation. Right. He was confused- which was okay as long as he remained happy! He was happy!  _ He was happy! _

Why didn’t he feel happy?! Clearly he had misunderstood something. Clearly Finley-  _ Finley _ \- had not just vanished into thin air after he… he started melting? Or something? Maybe that was a good thing! Even though Finley looked… unhappy… this was actually a good thing! A happy thing! Maybe Finley just ran really, really fast. Maybe he was with the others in the kitchen, eating icecream and cake. Right!

Boris set himself with determination to enter the room. He would see that everything was fine and happy, of course! Even though he felt some weird kind of emotion that made him dread walking into that room, it would be okay! It would be a happy moment when he realized Finley was not… gone.

Boris rubbed his paws over his cheeks, feeling like his fur felt too heavy. To his surprise, they felt wet and sticky. He jerked his hands away from his face, gaping at the strings of black liquid that dripped from his paws and cheeks.

_ It was just like Finley- _

No! No, no, no… He was fine, he was happy. This was probably a normal thing that happened to everyone once and awhile. He had no reason to be unhappy about it. Which he wasn’t! He was happy!

He was going to see his brother again! And Steven too, and Alice- oh, Alice was always so happy, she would know what to do! Maybe he could ask Felix as well. Yes! Granny too! They would help him, they would tell him it was a good, happy thing. Everything would be alright. He was worrying over nothing.

He was happy!

He smoothed down his cheeks, wiping away that icky substance. He didn’t like how it stained his clothing and his paws, but he was still happy because the black stuff was probably a good thing!

Finally certain that he was happy and that everything was going to keep being happy, Boris entered the kitchen. His eyes immediately went searching for Finley… but the only foxes he could see were Xedo and Wiston… But that was okay! Finley was probably just… out back or something! Or had to leave early because… it was his birthday too!

If he couldn’t find Finley, then he would just go to Alice and ask her if her tear markings ever melted. The kind angel was talking to her boyfriend and Granny. Great! Jake and Granny were amazing, happy toons too! They could help him.

As he started walking over to them with a smile, he watched how Jake laughed and wrapped his arm around Alice lovingly. Aw! They were so cute. Alice smiled back at him, but she didn’t laugh at whatever joke he had made, her gaze instead flickering to Bendy, who was talking to Cuphead, Mugman, Steven and Felix. Boris had often noticed the two stealing glances at each other. They were really good friends!

But now he noticed that glaze of an emotion previously unfamiliar to him wash over her eyes before it vanished in a second, her attention back on Jake and Granny.

It had been worry.

Boris had felt that mere moments ago, and now he was feeling it again. Her worry was mixed in with other emotions, ones that she quickly made all evidence of disappear. But… why? Why would she erase her worry... Unless… she wasn’t supposed to feel it?

But- no, no, no, everything was fine! He was just imagining things. What he had felt was  _ okay  _ right? Worrying was just some form of happiness, despite how weird and  _ not happy  _ it felt.

Boris stopped in his tracks, watching how stiff and controlled all of Alice’s movements were. How her smile was starting to become one of those… strained… ones Boris had seen on a few toons faces- like Oswald. Her smile had always been so happy, so genuine, so kind, so loving… hadn’t it?

Boris wasn’t sure anymore.

Ah! But he shouldn’t worry about that! He was happy, and if you’re happy, then you don’t need to worry!

He would just go to Felix and Bendy instead. They were always happy. He had never seen any stiff smiles on them before.

He glanced over at them, watching as Cup and Mugs traded off doing silly faces for Felix, Bendy and Steven to laugh at. Felix was laughing boisterously at them, even going as far as to hunch over and slap his knee. Steven was giggling at the two cupmen while Bendy mostly watched in amusement.

Boris tried not to, he really did, but he immediately started searching for any signs of stiffness, strain or worry that he had seen in Alice.

And he did find them. The way Steven would keep his hands to his sides, the way he stopped his tail from twitching, the way he let his giggles out almost mechanically, how he kept glancing at Bendy almost like he was looking for reassurance. And how Bendy would grin bigger when Felix, Cuphead or Mugman looked at him, but when it was Steven looking him, his smile softened and he almost seemed to silently send his littlest brother a message.

How Bendy and Steven seemed to be silently supporting one another.

Not his own brothers. No. They couldn't be… unhappy. Bendy always shined as bright as Alice's halo when Boris was around, and Steven was just the sweetest little squirrel.

He refused to accept it.

He turned his gaze away from his brothers, finding himself looking at Sammy, who was munching merrily on some cookies, his tail curling with content.

Did he realize Finley… wasn't here?

"Hey, Sam," Boris greeted as he walked over to him.

Sammy Hap E. Cat perked up. "Hello, Boris! How happy are you?"

What was a simple, normal, average question Boris had been asked a million times in his life now felt like a stab to his abdomen. How did he answer? Honestly? That he wasn't as happy as normal? But what if that was weird? What if that made Sammy unhappy?

"As happy as I can be," Boris answered with a smile. Ow. It hurt to smile. Since when did it hurt to smile? It felt wrong. The corners of his mouth were too far pulled up. His lips felt too pursed together. It hurt.

"Do you desire a cookie?" Sammy asked, holding one out for Boris.

"No thank you," the wolf declined politely. "I would just like to know if you have seen Finley anywhere?" Maybe Sammy had seen where the fox went. They were best friends, after all.

"Who?" Sammy blinked, tilting his head.

Boris felt his heart start racing. "F-Finley, uh, Finley Fox?"

"Oh!" Sammy said, making Boris relax. "Yeah, Finley. Uhh. I am not sure. I guess he left." The cat shrugged nonchalantly. Boris felt panic rise again. If Sammy didn't know were Finley went, then who would? Had Finley really just vanished.

Boris noticed Isaac staring at him from the corner of his eye, making Boris's skin crawl. He cleared his throat nervously, dismissing himself away from Sammy to approach the angel. As he got nearer, Isaac pulled him into the dining room, away from the others.

"Some haven't realized yet. If they do, then, just like you, they'll struggle." He gestured towards where Sammy was in the kitchen. "And do you think he's strong enough to struggle? Or do you think he'd vanish just like all the others and be forgotten too?"

Isaac grabbed a rag from his pocket and wiped away the strands of black goop forming on Boris's cheeks.

"You might want to read  _ How to Be Happy.  _ Wilson knew what he was doing when he wrote that book." Isaac stuffed the tag into his pocket, turned, and left with a smile on his face.

_ How to Be Happy.  _ By Wilson Wiseton. That book Boris thought was needless and pointless because didn't everyone know how to be happy? But now he needed it. Desperately.

He knew they had it in their house because he had seen Bendy reading it a few times when he was younger. A jolt of shock went through Boris as he realized that this confirmed his brother was unhappy. Had been unhappy for so long. How long? How has Boris not noticed? Why had his older brother not told him?  _ Why had he told Steven before him? _

Boris frantically searched through all the bookshelves they had in their house, mostly full of Felix’s fictional fantasy adventure books. It wasn’t in the living room, nor the study, or on Boris’s bookshelf in his room. It wasn’t even in Bendy’s room like Boris thought it would be, but rather Steven’s room, on his bedside table.

The entire time Boris searched, he was wiping off the black strands from his face, and desperately repeating,  _ ‘I am happy, I am good, I am searching for a book to understand how to properly be happy, which is a good thing, because I am happy and will be happy.’ _

His paws shakily scooped up the book, ignoring the black stains his paws placed on the book as he flipped through the pages.

_ How to Be Happy. _

First Chapter. Always Smile.

He was smiling! He had the biggest smile on his face right now, even though it hurt. He would never stop smiling. He never had before after all, why stop now?

_ It only takes 26 muscles to smile! _

Wow, really? Then why did it feel like it was taking thousands? He was really getting a work-out from this.

_ Smiling releases endorphins, which are the chemicals that make us happy and less stressed. _

Boris must have a lot of endorphins then. Because he was super-duper happy.

_ Smiling lets other people know you are happy. When you aren’t smiling, toons might think you aren’t happy. So make sure to always smile when other people are around! _

When other people are around. So did that mean Boris could stop smiling now? No, he didn’t trust it.

_ And remember that you never know who’s watching, so it’s a good idea to always smile regardless! _

Was he being watched right now? Boris’s eyes darted around the room as his breathing rose. Oh happiness above, he didn’t feel safe.

_ When you see someone else smi- _

A big blop of black covered the rest of the sentence as it dripped down from Boris’s cheeks. Curses! He tried to rub it away, but it just smeared deeper onto the page, the same dark ink-color as the letters.

He needed to stop his tear marks from melting! This book wasn’t going to help him if he couldn’t read it! Was there a section on  _ How to Stop Melting?! _

He dropped the book down as he pulled up the corner of his shirt to rub on his cheeks. It was dripping too fast! Too much!

He was happy, he was happy, he was happy! He! Was! Happy!

He shut his eyes closed tightly, and it was like a sudden snowstorm turned the air cold around him.

He opened his eyes back up. Suddenly he was in complete darkness, a sharp chill in the air. The ground below him was cold and… moist. Sticky. Wet. Not solid, yet he stood upon it.

He gasped and tried to step back, but the floor stuck to him. No. More than stuck.  _ Tentacles  _ of blackness were crawling up his legs slowly, trapping him to the ground that he felt he was slowly sinking into.

Terrified panic sunk its fangs into his heart, and for the first time in his life, he  _ screamed. _

Where in the name of unhappiness  _ was  _ he?! And  _ why? _

Was this a "bad dream"? A "nightmare", as they called it? That rumored thing of terror?

Boris tried to jerk his leg out of the floor's grasp, but he ended up falling forward. He caught himself with his arm, and the tentacles wasted no time in wrapping around it. He screamed again, shorter this time, but no less horrified.

_ Horrified.  _ What a fun, new emotion.

He suddenly choked a bit- something that, again, he had never done before. Something wet and acidic leaked out of his mouth, and he coughed it up onto the floor. The black liquid blended in quite nicely with the black floor.

He lifted his free hand to his face, brushing off the icky stuff that had gotten uncomfortably stuck onto his fur. He pulled it back to reveal strings of black liquid still stuck and dripping from his fur right where his tear marking were, dripping faster and more  _ painful  _ than before.

He screamed,  _ again,  _ but it came out gargled as he puked up some more liquid. His ears felt clogged too, and his eyes felt wet as well.

He whimpered helplessly as he felt a wave of hopelessness crash over him. What was happening? Why was this happening to him? Why was he so- so-  _ why was he like this? _

Where was his happiness?

The pitter patter of tiny paws caught his attention as he gazed in front of him. A small red cat was approaching him with a frown. A  _ frown. _

The cat had its own tear markings. Dark red eyeshadow connected to a thick line similar to Boris's own. It wore an orange bandana around its neck and a dark red bow by it's left ear with a little blue button in the middle. The same shade of dark blue as its eyes.

"I can't believe you fell into unhappiness," it (she?) spoke disapprovingly.

"Wha-at?" Boris breathed out.

"You were supposed to be the one who anchored your brother from falling into unhappiness," she told him matter-of-factly. "Now I guess I'll have to find some other way. Can't have Bendy unhappy, now can we?"

"I- what? Why? Where am I? Who are you? Wh-What's happening?" Fear curled like a snake in the pit of Boris's stomach.

“Keep worrying, it’s better that way. You’ll melt quicker,” the cat told him simply.

“What?!” Boris yelped, gargling over the ink that only seemed to get thicker as the minutes went by.

The cat flicked her tail as she turned around, padding effortlessly over the sticky, wet ground, not a speck of black sticking to her. “Boris, do yourself a favor…” She glanced back at him.

“And stay unhappy.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [Will add picture of cat here later :3]


End file.
